Cirque glacier

Cirque glacier

A corrie glacier is formed in a corrie, bowl-shaped depressions on the side of mountains. Snow and ice accumulation in corries often occurs as the result of avalanching from higher surrounding slopes.

In these depressions, snow persists through summer months, and is transformed into glacier ice. Snow may be situated on the leeward slope of a mountain, where it is sheltered. Rock fall from above slopes also plays an important role in sheltering the snow and ice from sunlight.

Randklufts may form beneath corrie glaciers as open space between the ice and the bedrock, where meltwater can play a role in erosion of the rock.